Local political parties should embrace growing minority population in Orleans County
Editor:
The 2020 US Census not only showed a decrease in Orleans County population to 40,343, but an increase in minority residents to 4,800 people, or 12% of the county population.
To Orleans County political parties, this group of 4,800 potential voters could represent the difference between winning or losing future elections. Will the Democrats simply assume most will vote for them? Will the Republicans ignore them believing they will continue to win elections without this group?
Changing demographics have a way of upsetting political plans as shown by the radical shifts in voting in Colorado, New Mexico, Virginia and numerous other states which went Democratic in 2020.
Perhaps the politics of inclusion, in which both parties work to understand the issues important to these minorities is the way of the future.
Jack Capurso
Ashburn, Virginia (former Albion resident)
